In the coin operated video game industry, it has been known to provide devices that offer haptic feedback to players of games in order to enhance their playing experience with a feeling that reflects the environment depicted in the game. Various techniques have been used to provide motion or sensory feedback to players via game components, particularly game input devices such as hand-held game controllers. Both motors and solenoids have been used, for example, to provide haptic feedback to players of games having gun motion simulation devices installed in hand-held gun-style game controllers. The motors would use a cam/follower, offset crank, slotted yoke, or rack and pinion type of assembly to induce a linear motion to the controller to be felt by the player. The solenoids would pull a rod inwardly against spring resistance, allowing the rod to collide with a stop within the coil of the solenoid. The rod would then be released, and the compressed spring would push the rod back outwardly, so that the rod would then collide into a damping material where it would remain until the coil is energized again.
Such prior devices have had the drawbacks of limited directional forces provided by game controllers, which limit the level of realism experienced by the player. Further developments are therefore needed in the field to enhance operation of game controllers in order to supply a superior haptic feedback experience to a player.